On Filling Up Sketchbooks in November

So this happened the other day.

I'm still toddling along on my weekly theme schedule, trying to balance action creation with all the culling out I'm doing.  I'm reading an insane number of books, putting collage materials and art supplies in "to sell" boxes, and generally trying to give myself the space to breathe.

Somewhere in there, I thought I might also do NaNoWriMo this year, because I love the sense of community and shared goal, but as it's grown close to November 1, I've been feeling a lot of dread about it.  I write a lot.  Not just on writing weeks, either.  A couple years back, I finished NaNo in four days, if that says anything.

So when my friend Corinne posted the books she's made, and I went through my (totally insane pile of) sketchbooks the other night (there are, I kid you not, about fifty in the queue), I joked that maybe we should all try to fill a sketchbook in November instead.

And #NaSkeFiMo was born.

It's totally informal.  We have a facebook group.  The rules are essentially just PICK A BOOK and FILL THAT SUCKER IN A MONTH.

For some people, a 36 page Field Notes book will be a challenge; for others, one of those hundred-page monstrosities will be more in line.  I figure you know your limits and what will be a challenge for you.  Do that thing.  We'll cheerlead.

Moreover, you don't have to paint or do some kind of fine art.  Write.  Write songs.  Write conversation snippets you overhear and collage in your coffee receipts.  Scribble a map of your neighborhood or journal personally.  Stick down photos or selfies or random color charts.  Experiment.  Play.

It doesn't matter how the pages get filled, just that they get filled.

My plan (subject to change) is to dive headlong into a Stillman & Birn softcover.

I actually filled one of the ring-bound ones in October, so I know it's achievable.  And if I finish early, I may start a second one.  Either a Midori insert (maybe) or one of the kraft paper books, or one of my hand-bound sketchbooks...I don't want to decide too far ahead, but I do know that I won't be hesitant to make it two sketchbooks instead of one if I need to.

I guess my goal is just as many pages as possible, plus two.

Girl's gotta stretch, see.

If you're like me and you've got more sketchbook pages than you have time to use them, you're totally invited to play along.

Come on over and join up.

Let's make beautiful pages together. :)